Dogs will no longer be permitted at Longmont’s Button Rock Preserve.
Longmont City Council unanimously approved code changes for Button Rock Preserve, with one of the most significant changes prohibiting all dogs except for service animals. Staff said this change would be in the best interest of the water quality and ecology of button rock preserve.
The Button Rock Preserve Management Plan is the culmination of a two year study — which turned into four years thanks to COVID — to look at how best to manage Longmont’s only preserve and includes several recommendations. Council’s second approval on Tuesday means the plan will start being implemented
In a March email, Natural Resources Project Manager Danielle Cassidy said that Longmont will follow the same phased approach that they took in 2019 when the city implemented the interim dog rule allowing one leashed dog per person at the preserve.
Enforcement was education only for the first two months, she explained, giving the public time to learn about the new rule and for Longmont to get the word out. After this phase, the rule went into full effect.
“Longmont will follow a phased approach this time as well, beginning after the City Council second ordinance reading,” Cassidy said.
Other changes have been made to the Ralph Price Reservoir Fishing Permit program, extending the day use permit fishing season by two months and aligning the dates for day and annual permits.
